Over the Phone
by Kuragi
Summary: Fluffy one-shot based on Shigure's words from Chapter 95. (MayukoHatori)


**Disclaimer:** If I owned Furuba, do you seriously think I'd be writing fanfiction about it?? --;

I don't think Mayuko swears much in the manga, but I have a feeling she would if she was really angry or annoyed.

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_"Ha-san. You got changed too quickly. I was thinking about taking Ha-san's photo and showing it to Mayu-chan." –_ Shigure, chapter 95 (quoted from Shadow's Translation Pages)

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"Ah, but you should have seen it, Mayu-chan. I offered to take pictures for you, but Ha-san wouldn't let me, of course. I was just trying to have a little fun….sniff…"

"Geez, I don't care about your stupid family traditions. It's a pain enough to grade these d--- papers."

Shigure's laugh billowed from the receiver. "A-a-a, it isn't lady-like to swear, Mayu-chan. Wait until I tell _Ha-san_…"

"Shut up. And if Hatori-kun's all you're going to call me about…"

"Isn't that sweet… A burning flame of unrequited love for the former fiancé of your best friend…Ah, I should write a novel on it. Would you like half credit? I could fit you on the dedication page…"

"You better _not_ put me into one of your smutty love stories. And stop bringing up the past and throwing it in my face. It's annoying."

"Oh, so you _do_ still love him…hahaha…"

"Sheesh! I never said I did! So shut up already!"

"Oops, what was that? Bzzzt – we must bzzt – have a bad bzzt – connection or something…bzzt! bzzt! bzzt!"

"I can tell you're doing that on purpose!!"

"Hm, now isn't that Yuki-kun coming through the door? Au revoir, je t'aime…"

Bip…bip…beeeep…

Mayuko clenched her grip on the receiver, growling. "Eergh…!! Why do I let him aggravate me??" She slammed down the phone with a rush of pent-up anger, getting some satisfaction out of the smashing noise it made. After several long moments, her irritated self calmed down into seriousness, her shaking first slapping the desk with pumped adrenaline.

_I can't be rid of them, these Sohmas…aaah..as if Aya calling this morning wasn't enough…and then there are those two Sohma kids in my class, too…that orange-haired brat, how I'd love to discolor his hair to shut up his saucy mouth…and then that other kid, Aya's brother.…it's like I'm cursed to be followed around by them forever..ah, I marked this wrong, d---…why'd I choose this career, anyway…_

Her gaze switched to a wooden picture frame standing firmly on her desk, holding a still intact photo of her and Kana as teenagers, arms around each other. Kana, with her bright, vivacious smile and laughing eyes…Yes, of course Hatori-kun would have fallen in love with her. Her glowing, magnificent personality was fresh and enchanting next to her own dull and placid self. But he _had _called her Mayu before…no, she was being foolish. He was only used to Kana's nickname for her dropping here or there in their lovey-dovey conversations. No doubt she would never hear him say it again.

_I don't blame him for falling in love with her, only… I blame myself for falling in love with_ him.

She groaned, laying her forehead on her palm as her fingers sifted tiredly through her hair. She was tired of grading papers, tired of teaching classes day after day, tired of being called up by that b-----d Shigure, tired of living. And then there was her mother getting on her back, too… ("Mayuko, won't you be _lonely_ once your father and I leave this world??") _Why don't they all just leave me alone…_

Brrring….brrring…

_Aaargh…Not the phone again… If it's Shigure, I'll kill him… No doubt it is… Ugh…_

She grabbed the receiver and screamed with menacing irritation, "I'M BUSY, D--- IT! DON'T BOTHER ME!!"

The voice on the other end spoke indifferently. "I'll…call you back when you're in a better mood, then. Bye."

Mayuko froze. "H-huh?? Hatori..kun?" She raised the receiver up to her ear, reddening darkly. "Sorry, I thought you were Shigure…I didn't mean to yell." _Well, yeah, I did, but not at_ him.

"…Did Shigure call before?" he asked lightly.

"Yeah. He rattled my nerves a little."

"I see…well, I would have called earlier, but there was some business with the head of my family I had to take care of…and then a few injuries I had to deal with."

"Well, duty does come first," she said, casually pushing aside the stack of still un-graded paperwork.

"But if Shigure's bothering you…I really should have a talk with him. He just likes to push people's buttons, that's all."

"You don't have to do that." _Although it sure as h--- would help._

"Shigure did say something about pictures…He didn't sent you any, did he? I thought for sure he would have shown you…"

"Haha, no, he didn't. I'd love to have seen your dance, though."

"…you know about that?"

"Aya and Shigure both called to tell me. Sounded like fun."

"It was…tolerable."

"That's good…maybe you're starting to feel better." _About her._

"…. What?"

"Aa, did I say that out loud??" _I'm such an idiot! First that whole "Satsuki" thing, now this! God!_ "Never mind…I must sound really stupid."

"No, you don't…but…maybe you're right. I don't feel…quite as sad anymore. Maybe it's just all the work I have to do."

"You…really are serious…" _I know…that if my heart was broken…I couldn't stand to think about it…_

"I am. But I'd like to get back to work now, if you wouldn't mind. It's rather difficult writing with one hand."

"Oh...haha! Yeah, sorry for wasting all your time…I mean, you're a doctor and all…"

"It's no trouble."

"Well, thanks for calling…I guess…this is it, then…" Mayuko sighed wistfully, coiling her fingers around the wire. "Bye…Hatori."

"Good-bye…Mayu."


End file.
